


Reflection

by DustySoul



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Gender Identity, Transgender
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-11
Updated: 2015-06-11
Packaged: 2018-04-03 23:44:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4118986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DustySoul/pseuds/DustySoul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natasha's never recognized herself before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reflection

Natasha never looks into mirrors and sees herself. Even at the end of a day, once she's washed the make up and blood off, she never looks into the mirror and sees herself.

She never recognizes herself in photographs or film either. She has to say to herself, "That's me, shooting that man.", "That's me, talking to the mark.", and, on the rare occasions when she's carrying her SHEILD ID she looks at the photo (no make up, no hair dye, no nothing) and reminds herself, "That's me."

She's really, really good with faces. She has to be to do her job. But for some reason she can never remember her own or identify it as herself.

She doesn't even really notice she does this things, or that other people don't. It's been so much apart of her for so long. She's never bothered to mention it to anyone, not SHIELD therapist, not Clint Barton, and not Nick Fury. It just is. It's just always been.

 

Until one day, when she's rough housing with Clint (They'll both jokingly call it "sparing" with a straight face if caught.) and he  wrestles the wig form his last mission, sweaty and gross, over her eyes. And then she's got him pinned underneath her, howling, "Uncle! Uncle!" in a mixture of laughter and pain.

She settles herself more securely astride him and straightens the wig properly over her head. It's only by chance that she catches her reflection in the mirror on the gym walls. And her mind goes "oh" and everything falls into place.

Clint tries to throw her off him. She digs her knees harder into her back. She'll revisit that revelation later, once Clint forfeits for real.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to message or follow me on tumblr at dusty-soul.tumblr.com


End file.
